Stranded
by GuardianSoulBlade
Summary: Raven’s thoughts after BIRTHMARK when she returns to the church seeking answers. This is a Christian fic those who do not believe as I do then DO NOT READ!


**Stranded **

**Summery: **Raven's thoughts after BIRTHMARK when she returns to the church seeking answers.This is aChristian fic those who do not believe as I do can go read AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH and review that. X-Men crossover with Nightcrawler. This is a non romantic one shot Spiritual. If you're wondering why the song is gone it's because song lyrics are not allowed. So that explains no lyrics. Not that it matters, it's still just as good.

Raven Roth stood outside the last place anyone would have expected to see her: The church with its bright stained glass windows, spires and steeples. She had never been one for church. The church was well, something artificial, fake and false. Her mother had been pulled into a so called "church" and she was the result of what had been a horrible mistake. Church was fake, full of hypocrisy and lies.

They all spoke of a god. The Muslims, the Christians, even Buddhists and Hindus had some form of God that they believed in. Not her though, she didn't know what to believe. If there was a god up there somewhere, He would have let her be a normal person without powers. She wouldn't be the way she was, she wouldn't have such a horrible past, her father wouldn't be what he was, an evil inter-dimensional demon. And her mother wouldn't have been raped by him.

Why did she come back here? Why did she bring Robin here of all places after their battle with Slade, why bring him to a place that meant nothing to her but lies?

She didn't want to think about it, she couldn't live with herself, and she didn't understand how God, if there was a god, could let these things happen to her. Raven stepped into the sanctuary, still empty, no people just the wind and—

There it was; a crucifix. The Cross, the Christians called it. But what did it really mean? They all said that their God named Jesus had died on it, and he had come back to life three days later, at least that's what their Bibles, their sacred scriptures said. She'd watched and observed these Christians with distain, basically ignoring them as religious fanatics, but there was something they had said in their Bible, something important about what happened when Jesus was buried in his tomb, but she couldn't remember what it was, she'd never touched the book, it wasn't her thing.

She couldn't get the experience out of her head. What Slade did to her. The visions of the future, the prophecy that he had old her still rang in her ears.

_**Skies will burn.  
**__**Flesh will turn to stone.  
**_**_The sun will set on your world, never to rise again.  
__Never to rise again._**

She didn't want to believe it, refused to believe it. Prophecies were tricky, some were true, some were false, it was tricky trying to figure out what was true and what was false. She desperately wanted to believe in something, Someone, the teachings of Azar seemed hollow and empty. What could she believe in anymore?

"Well, she said to the crucifix, "Why am I here? I don't know. If there is a god and He does exist, why's all this happening to me?" There was no reply, no Voice telling her what she wanted to know. There was just silence.

"Do You even care about me?" she shouted to the nothingness. "Why was I even born? My life is nothing but misery and sorrow? Why did You even let me live?" Life, fate or _God_, if there was one, was not listening to her. He obviously had abandoned her when she was born, because if he did care, she wouldn't have to be the way she was.

Raven stared up at the stained glass windows, there was nothing, no one, just the wind and the reverberating echoes of her voice. "Why'd I even come here? This is pointless and stupid!" She prepared to leave.

She caught a glimpse of her reflection and shuddered. She was what Beast Boy described as "Creepy". She didn't look at all normal and she wasn't at all normal. She was a half demon, a fallen angel deprived of Heaven, and if there was a god He would condemn her to Hell.

"Vhat is stupid?" a voice asked behind her. She turned and saw the most peculiar person standing in front of her. She noticed he was wearing a dark brown cloak concealing his face. She didn't know who it was. She couldn't see his face and was afraid it might be Slade in a disguise.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Kurt, Kurt Vagner," replied the stranger. He didn't sound like Slade. Slade had no accent.

"So Kurt, what are you doing here?" Raven asked, curious. She'd never seen him before. He walked into the light; she still couldn't make out the features of his face because of his hood. He knelt down, turning his head to her.

"I'm praying," he said simply, folding his hands.

"You actually believe that there's a god?" Raven asked. "If there is then why has He let my life be so crappy?"

"Oh, that vould depend on vhat you mean by 'Crappy,'" Kurt said quietly. "Do you need someone to talk to? I'm available and villing to listen," Kurt smiled. Moving from his kneeling position to stand on his feet, he moved to sit on one of the pews.

"You are Raven of the Teen Titans, are you not?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. "How'd you know?"

"I have heard of you." Kurt smiled. "So, tell me vhat is on your mind," he smiled.

"Something happened to me, a man named Slade, we thought he was dead, and then he came back. He said he had a message for me, he knew it was my birthday, he grabbed my arms and branded me." She turned her hand over so he could see a strange burned symbol that still remained on her palm.

"He made me lose control of my emotions; he tried to unleash my father into this dimension."

"Who is your father?" Kurt asked.

"My father is demon, he's as evil as Satan himself," Raven sighed. "You see Kurt, if there was a god, he wouldn't have let my life be so…horrible. He wouldn't hate me, and make my life miserable. ."

"I don't know vhat kind of god you're talking about, but my God that I serve does not hate you." Kurt gestured quietly. There is a reason you were born, God doesn't make mistakes. There are no accidents with Him. He has a purpose for everything."

"Yeah, and my purpose is to bring about Armageddon," Raven mumbled. Kurt looked shocked.

"Vhat makes you think that?" he asked.

"A prophecy, you mustn't tell anyone about it, it says: Skies will burn. Flesh will turn to stone. The sun will set on your world, never to rise again. Never to rise again."

"Vho told you vhat?" Kurt asked.

"Slade," Raven replied. "He's a lackey for my father. I can only hope that it's not true."

"Ah, don't you see Raven, such things are supposed to happen before the end," Kurt explained. "Have you ever read the Bible?"

She shook her head no, Kurt frowned. "These things are supposed to take place before the end. The world will become more and more evil, Jesus said:

Following those hard times,  
Sun will fade out,  
Moon cloud over,  
Stars fall out of the sky,  
Cosmic powers tremble.

Raven could barely believe her ears. He knew already what would happen and without Slade's prophecy. "How did you know that?"

"I've read it."

"I don't know what I should do. I don't want to put my friends in danger."

"Your friends will need you to help them battle your father. You must tell them."

"You're right. But what will you do? Will you help us?" Raven asked, hopeful.

"I will not help you. Not in the way that you think. I will pray for you, that is all I can do."

There were no answers, at least, not the one she wanted. She shook her head in frustration. "I don't understand! If God is this all powerful person, why can't he just annihilate Trigon?"

"God is all powerful. But He is a gentleman, and He will not interfere unless He's asked. Faith, believing in what you don't see is the key to destroying Trigon. You must believe Raven, believe that God can help you and your friends battle this great evil that has come to destroy this world.

"But I don't feel anything," Raven said.

"It doesn't matter what you feel, it's what is true; God will destroy all evil in the world. When the end comes, good will triumph; it's been written, it will come to pass."

"But Slade's prophecy, will it come to pass?" she asked.

"Not all prophecies are true, Raven. There are false prophecies, false visions and dreams."

"So you're saying that it may not come true?"

"I don't know that, but the Lord controls the world and all that transpires is His doing. He will help you if you let Him. Everyone works so hard in this world. And this world is only a shadow of what eternity is. God is eternal, He is in control of everything. And if we believe that He loved us, and died for us, He will give us eternal live in Heaven with Him."

"That's a lot to believe, Kurt," Raven sighed. "I just can't bring myself to believe all of that. How do I know it's true? How could God love me?"

"He loves each of us, unconditionally, ve are imperfect, but He still loves us. No matter vhat ve do. Have faith Raven. Believe He can help you and He vill," Kurt said simply.

"I can't bring myself to do that, yet. But can you do me a favor?"

"Vhat is that?"

"Will you pray for me?"

"Yes," he said. "I must go now." He vanished as Raven turned away from him.

She looked back up at a hanging crucifix and thought entered her head. Kurt said that there was still hope. Prophesies did not have to come true. Her father would not control her destiny, he said God controlled her destiny, and if God loved her as much as Kurt claimed He did, Armageddon wouldn't happen because of her. She turned to thank Kurt, but found that he had vanished, leaving a trail of blue smoke. She smiled at the thought and walked silently out of the church.


End file.
